Process and apparatus for reducing the breaking forces on a ballooning strand of yarn or the like



Oct. 30, 1962 E. w.

PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR STARNE BALLOONING STRAND OF YARN Filed July 15, 1

3,060,670 REDUCING T REAKING FORCES ON THE LIKE 2 Sheet s-Sheet 1 4+ INV EN TOR.

Earl W. Star/Les Httorney:

Oct. 30, 1 62 E. w. STARNES 3, 0

PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR REDUCING THE BREAKING FORCES ON A BALLOONING STRAND OF YARN OR THE LIKE Filed July 15, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. Ear W. Stames attorneys United States Patent Qflfice Patented Oct. 30,

This invention relates to a process and apparatus for twisting fibers, and particularly to means to reduce the breaking forces on a ballooning strand of yarn.

In my prior Patent No. 2,867,967, dated January 13, 1959, I show, describe and claim apparatus for making yarn embodying attenuating apparatus wholly confined within the figure of revolution generated by the ballooning yarn. The apparatus of my prior patent has eliminated one of the principal limitations relative to high speed production of yarns and the production of very fine yarns as well as the production of the so-called soft yarns with low twist. That is to say, the apparatus shown in the above patent in effect eliminates the heretofore existing limitations of speed on the ordinary traveller used in the well-known types of ring spinning frames.

In further considering improvements in this field, I now believe that one of the most important, if not the only remaining barrier on unlimited speed is the breaking force exerted on the ballooning yarn due to the frictional drag of the air as the balloon rotates.

In view of the foregoing an object of my invention is to provide a process and apparatus for carrying out the same by means of which I am enabled to twist fibers to produce yarns at a high rate by reducing the breaking force due to the air drag on the ballooning yarn.

Another and important object of my invention is to provide a process and apparatus by means of which I can produce, trouble-free and at low labor cost, yarns from low strength fibers such as short staples, strips, fly, comber and damaged fibers.

Another object is to provide apparatus and process of the character designated by means of which I am enabled to produce yarns with low twist, thereby to provide the so-called soft yarns.

Another object is to provide a process and apparatus of the kind indicated in which the end breakage is reduced to a very minimum, thereby materially lowering the cost of the labor required to attend the machine.

A still further object is to provide an apparatus of the character designated in which the waste from the spinning or twisting operation is confined inside of an enclosure, thereby eliminating the need in the spinning or twisting room for apparatus to effect cleaning in the mill.

Briefly, my invention contemplates a process and apparatus in which the breaking forces on the ballooning length of yarn is reduced by enclosing the ballooning yarn in a' space under subatmospheric pressure. Preferably, though not necessarily, I may in effect enclose the apparatus of my above mentioned Patent No. 2,867,967, together with the package builder therefor in a suitable vessel or housing in such manner that I am enabled to place the entire enclosure under sub-atmospheric pressure. I may 'drive the apparatus either by means of a prime mover of the electric type enclosed in the housing, or, if desired, I may provide a fluid or pneumatic motor with energy supplied to the housing from the outside. Likewise, Imay drive the apparatus from an outside source through a seal surrounding the rotating shaft. Also, and as a matter of economy in equipping an entire spinning room with my improved apparatus, I prefer to have a single vacuum source and to connect a plurality of machines to that source. As an alternate, it conceivably is possible to provide each of the enclosures with its own small, individual vacuum pump and to drive such pump directly from the motor supplying the power to the attenuating and/ or twisting apparatus. The amount of sub-atmospheric pressure may be varied in accordance with the type of yarn being twisted, the type of fiber, the amount of twist, and the speed of production desired for a given size. However, with my improved process and apparatus it is practical to reduce the subatmospheric pressure to a degree that the only real limitation upon the speed of production becomes the capability of the several mechanical parts to withstand the strain of rotation and other movement. For instance, with the apparatus shown in my above mentioned patent and operating in the open atmosphere, in the manufacture of No. 10s yarns I have successfully twisted at the rate of 10,500 turns of twist per minute. In the atmosphere the overall tension at this speed on 10s yarn, includes the tension produced by the tensioning device and centrifugal force, as well as air drag, is on the order of five to six ounces. By reducing the atmospheric pressure surrounding the balloon to one-half atmosphere I will have reduced the total drag on the balloon to approximately three ounces. vConsequently, I can increase the velocity of rotation of the twisting apparatus very substantially. Further reduction of the atmospheric pressure gives further reduction in overall drag and permits a further increase in speed, or a decrease in attention labor cost. Therefore, my improved process and apparatus lends itself very readily to the solution of the problem of air drag on the ballooning yarn, which solution embodies all of the factors heretofore mentioned. My invention likewise takes advantage of the economic factors involved in such considerations as the tightness of the cover, the thickness of the cover, the size and horsepower required for the vacuum pump, etc. 7

Apparatus illustrating the constructional features of my improved apparatus and which may be used to carry out my improved process is shown in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application, in which:

FIG. 1 is a wholly diagrammatic view illustrating a plurality of separate machines connected to a common source of vacuum and a common source of fluid under pressure for driving the same;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged front elevational view of one of the enclosed apparatus; a

FIG. 3 is a still further enlarged vertical sectional view' through the apparatus, certain parts being broken away and in section; and,

FIG. 4 is a detail sectional view taken line 44 of FIG. 3.

Referring now to the drawings, and as has been before stated, I show my invention in association with the type of apparatus for making yarn shown in my Patent No. 2,867,967, dated January 13, 1959. However, as the description proceeds it will become apparent that my improved process may be carried out with other specific forms of fiber attenuating and/ or twisting apparatus than the one shown in the aforementioned patent. However, for the purpose of illustration and because the apparatus shown in the above patent is peculiarly suited for inclusion in the present process and apparatus, I show the same to be substantially identical with the aforesaid patent.

Referring to FIG. 1 it will be seen that myimproved apparatus comprises a plurality of housings 10 which may be of any suitable configuration and which may be provided with doors 11. The doors 11 may be made of suitable transparent material and also provide access to the inside of the apparatus for doffing the same and for servicing it. As shown particularly in FIGS. 2 and 3, each of the housings is supported on a suitable base support 12. The housings may be provided with flanges 13. The flanges rest upon suitable gaskets 14 which in turn rest on the support 12. The housing is held to the generally along 3 gasket in air-tight manner by means of bolts, studs or the like 16.

Referring now particularly to FIG. 3 of the drawings I show enclosed within each of the housings the apparatus shown in Patent No. 2,867,967. That is, I show a package holder 17 in which are placed a number of the packages 18 to be attenuated or twisted. The only difference between the holder 17 and the one shown in the above mentioned patent is the fact that the holder may be in halves and hinged together at 19. Fasteners 21 may be provided. In this manner the holder may be opened to remove the bobbins and to insert other packages 18.

On top of the package holder 17 is the attenuating apparatus indicated generally by the numeral 22. The flyer is in the form of a rotating plate 23 and the yarn is fed upwardly from the packages, through the attenuating apparatus 22, downwardly through the hollow tube 24 and thence to the rotating plate 23. The yarn passes over a tensioning device 27 and thence forms the balloon indicated at 28.

The take-up and winding mechanism for the yarn is indicated generally by the numeral 29. Thus, the yarn passes through an eye 31 fixed over the center of the tube 24, under take-up rollers 32, over a level winder 33 and thence on to the package builder indicated at 34.

Power for driving the disc 23 is supplied preferably by a fluid pressure motor 36 located in the housing. The motor drives the disc 23 through a belt 37. The package builder mechanism and level wind device may be driven by a belt 38, also driven from the motor 36 through a right angle gear box 39.

Power is supplied to the fluid motor 36 through a line 41 from a pump 42 in turn driven by a motor 43. The fiuid returns from the motor 36 through a line 44 to a reservoir 46.

It will be understood that a plurality of the housings 10 may be connected to a single source of the fluid under pressure. Likewise, it will be apparent that the motor 36 may be an electric motor. However, in order to eliminate the accumulation of heat inside the housing 10 I prefer to use a hydraulic or air motor.

Each of the housings 10 is maintained under subatmospheric pressure. As illustrated in FIG. 1, I show a vacuum pump 47 driven by a motor 48. The inside of each housing 10 is connected to the pump through branch lines 49 under control of the three-way valves 51. A plurality of units 10 may be connected to the single pump 47 and, once the sub-atmospheric pressure is established and as will be apparent to those skilled in the art, very little additional power is required to maintain that degree of sub-atmospheric condition within the housings.

From the foregoing the method of carrying out my improved process and the constructional features of my improved apparatus may now be explained and understood. With the housings 10 in place about the twisting and attenuating apparatus and the package builder, the three-way valves 51 are opened, thus to connect the vacuum pump 47 to the housings It). Once the pressure is down to the degree required or desired, as hereinafter will be specifically mentioned, valves 52 in branch lines 53 leading from line 41 are opened, starting the motors 36. This drives the attenuating apparatus 22, the flyer disc 23 and the package builder 29. When the entire apparatus is shut down to remove bobbins 34 or to replace package 18 the entire unit must be depressurized to allow opening of door 11. This is accomplished by moving the handle of the three-way valve 51 to the dotted line position as shown in FIG. 3. The entire unit is then opened to the atmosphere through line 50, allowing the door 11 to be opened.

Based upon my calculations I believe that if the pressure is reduced in the housings on the order of one-half atmosphere for a given speed and a given size yarn, the

total drag on the balloon 28 will be decreased by about 50 percent. By reducing the pressure to about one-fifth atmosphere within the housings I believe that the air drag on the balloon 28 will be decreased about percent. Therefore, by operating the apparatus under subatmospheric pressure I am enabled greatly to increase the speed of twisting and drawing, and in fact, with low enough pressure in the housings the only real limitation is the limitation on the parts due to the speed of rotation. Stating the matter in a different way, by my invention I am enabled to operate at faster speeds without increasing the tension over what it is in open atmosphere, for a given size yarn. Obviously, as the pressure is decreased the strength of the cover or housing 10 must be increased. By providing a door 11 sufficiently large to enter the housing for servicing the machine and dotting the same, I eliminate the necessity of having to remove the housing each time it is necessary to get at the apparatus. Incidentally, and as will be understood, I provide a gasket 55 around the door to prevent leakage at that point.

As a specific example with respect to the economy of maintaining a vacuum on apparatus of the kind disclosed herein, I estimate that with reasonably attainable leakproof connections, I could maintain reduced pressure on the order of one-half atmosphere in as many as 10,000 individual units of the kind disclosed herein with no more than a 50 hp. motor. It is therefore apparent that insofar as power requirements to produce the sub'atmospheric pressure are concerned, and on a pier unit basis, the same is negligible.

My improved process and apparatus lends itself particularly to the production of the low grade fiber yarns and at an extremely high rate. Further, it will be apparent that with individual units of the kind shown herein the breakage of an end in any one of them will not affect any of the others. By having the vacuum lines and fluid completely independent even through they are connected pressure lines separately valved for each unit they are to single sources of vacuum and fluid under pressure.

While I have shown and described apparatus for both attenuating and twisting yarn, it will be apparent that my improved process and apparatus has equal utility in connection with twisting only. That is, if it were desired only to twist yarn it would be possible to eliminate the attenuating portion 22 and simply to run the yarns down through the tube and to the flyer plate 23, for twisting. Likewise, while I have shown a two-for-one type of twister, other types may be employed with my improved process.

While I have shown my invention in but one form, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited but is susceptible of various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit thereof, and I desire, therefore, that only such limitations shall be placed thereupon as are specifically set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In apparatus for drawing and twisting a strand of fiber to form yarn, a strand supply package, a set of drawing rolls to which the strand is delivered from the supply package, a rotatable flyer positioned to receive the drawn strand directly from the drawing rolls and form a ballooning figure of revolution about the supply package and drawing rolls, yarn package building means receiving yarn from the ballooning figure and forming the yarn into a yarn package, a substantially air tight enclosure surrounding said supply package, drawing rolls, ballooning figure of revolution, and package building means, drive means within the enclosure operatively connected to the drawing and twisting apparatus and package building means for driving thereof, and means to maintain the enclosure under a substantially uniform subatmospheric pressure so that the fiber from the supply package to the package building means is entirely under sub-atmospheric pressure to decrease air drag on the balloon.

2. -In apparatus for drawing and twisting a strand of fiber to form yarn, a strand supply package, a set of drawing rolls to which the strand is delivered from the supply package, a rotatable flyer positioned to receive the drawn strand directly from the drawing rolls and form a ballooning figure of revolution about the supply package and drawing rolls, yarn package building means receiving yarn from the ballooning figure and forming the yarn into a yarn package, a substantially air tight enclosure surrounding said supply package, drawing rolls, ballooning figure of revolution and package building means, fluid pressure motor means in the enclosure operatively connected to the drawing and twisting apparatus and package building means for driving thereof, means outside the enclosure to supply fluid under pressure to the motor means, and means outside the enclosure to maintain the same under sub-atmospheric pressure so that fiber from the supply package to the package building means is entirely under a substantially uniform sub-atmospheric pressure to decrease air drag.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,484,724 Lent Feb. 26, 1924 2,576,936 Heifelfinger Dec. 4, 1951 2,731,786 Klein Jan. 24, 1956 2,856,749 Geen Oct. 21, 1958 2,867,967 Starnes Jan. 13, 1959 

